Electric soap dispenser

ABSTRACT

An electric soap dispenser includes a receptacle having an outlet mouth, an outlet device engaged with the receptacle, a human body sensing device for detecting whether a human body is approaching the outlet device or not, and an actuating device having a housing attached to the receptacle, a control device is attached to the housing, an air motor is electrically connected to the control device for being actuated by the control device to supply an air into the receptacle, and a fluid motor is electrically connected to the control device for being actuated by the control device to pump the liquid soap out of the receptacle. The outlet device includes a filtering member engaged with the outlet opening of the outlet device for filtering the liquid soap.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an electric soap dispenser, and more particularly to an electric soap dispenser including an improved structure or configuration for preventing the liquid soap from being choked in a liquid soap receptacle, and for suitably and smoothly and effectively feeding or dispensing or supplying the liquid soap out through an outlet device or faucet.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical electric soap dispensers or soap dispensing mechanisms comprise a container or receptacle including a chamber or compartment formed therein for receiving or containing a liquid soap, and a pump or motor connected or coupled to the container or receptacle for selectively pumping or forcing or drawing the liquid soap out through an outlet device or faucet of the receptacle when required.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,025,227 to Oliver et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,087,543 to Yang et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,096,445 to Yang et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 8,109,411 to Yang et al. disclose several of the typical electric soap dispensers or soap dispensing mechanisms each also comprising a container or receptacle including a chamber or compartment formed therein for receiving or containing a liquid soap therein, and a pump or motor connected or coupled to the container or receptacle for pumping or forcing or drawing the liquid soap out through an outlet device or faucet of the receptacle.

However, when the motor is energized and actuated or operated to pump or force or draw the liquid soap out of the container or receptacle, a vacuum condition and/or a choke condition may be generated within the container or receptacle, particularly in the outlet device or faucet of the container or receptacle, such that the liquid soap may be choked in a liquid soap receptacle, and may not be easily and effectively and smoothly pumped or forced or drawn out of the container or receptacle.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional electric soap dispensers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an electric soap dispenser including an improved structure or configuration for preventing the liquid soap from being choked in a liquid soap receptacle, and for suitably and smoothly and effectively feeding or dispensing or supplying the liquid soap out through an outlet device or faucet.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided an electric soap dispenser comprising a receptacle for containing a liquid soap, including an outlet mouth provided therein for allowing the liquid soap to flow out of the receptacle, an outlet device including a first end portion engaged with the mouth of the receptacle for receiving the liquid soap from the receptacle, and a second end portion having an outlet opening formed therein for allowing the liquid soap to flow out of the outlet device, a human body sensing device for detecting whether a human body is approaching the outlet device or not, and an actuating device including a housing attached to the receptacle, a control device attached to the housing, a first motor electrically connected to the control device for being actuated by the control device to deliver or feed or supply an air into the receptacle, and a second motor electrically connected to the control device for being actuated by the control device to pump or force or draw the liquid soap out of the receptacle.

The first motor is disposed in the housing and/or the second motor is disposed in the housing. The housing includes a space formed therein for engaging with the mouth of the receptacle and for attaching the housing to the receptacle, and/or the housing includes a barrel provided thereon and having the space formed in the barrel for engaging with the mouth of the receptacle and for securing the housing to the receptacle.

The actuating device includes an electric power source or one or more batteries electrically connected to the control device for energizing the control device and the other electric facilities. The outlet device includes a filtering member engaged with the outlet opening of the outlet device for filtering the liquid soap and/or for agitating or stirring the liquid soap to form foams or soap bubbles or the like. The human body sensing device is preferably attached to the outlet device.

The receptacle may further include a manifold having a first extension engaged with the mouth of the receptacle, and a second extension engaged with the first end portion of the outlet device, and at least one third extension, and the third extension may be selectively coupled to the first motor, or may be selectively coupled to the second motor; or the motors may be directly or selectively engaged into or coupled to the mouth of the receptacle and/or the first end portion of the outlet device for suitably supplying the air into the receptacle, and/or for suitably pumping or forcing or drawing the liquid soap out of the receptacle.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view illustrating the operation of an electric soap dispenser in accordance with the present invention for a sink or the like;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the electric soap dispenser;

FIG. 3 is a partial exploded view of the electric soap dispenser; and

FIG. 4 is another partial exploded view of the electric soap dispenser.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-2, an electric soap dispenser 1 in accordance with the present invention is provided for being attached or mounted or secured or coupled to or engaged with the bathtub or basin 9 or the like, and comprises a container or receptacle 10 for receiving or containing a liquid soap therein (not illustrated), and the receptacle 10 includes an outlet port or piece or mouth 11 formed or provided therein (FIG. 3) for allowing the liquid soap to flow out of the receptacle 10.

A faucet or outlet device 20 includes one or first end portion 21 for being inserted into or for engaging with the mouth 11 and for being attached or mounted or secured to the receptacle 10, and for receiving or obtaining the liquid soap from the receptacle 10. The outlet device 20 includes another or second end portion 22 having an outlet port or opening 23 formed therein for allowing the liquid soap to flow out of the outlet device 20, and includes a user or human body sensing mechanism or device 24 attached to the outlet device 20 and faced forwardly.

For example, the human body sensing device 24 may be provided for outputting or emitting and receiving a human body detection signal by radio waves, infrared ray, or ultrasonic waves, or the like, and disposed at the position where the user's hand or the like extending toward the outlet opening 23 of the outlet device 20 is detectable, and thus for detecting whether a user or human body is approaching the outlet device 20 or not. The human body sensing device 24 is typical and will not be described in further details.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the outlet device 20 may further include one or more filtering devices or members 25 attached or mounted or secured to or engaged with the outlet opening 23 of the outlet device 20 for filtering the liquid soap and/or for agitating or stirring the liquid soap to form foams or soap bubbles or the like when the liquid soap flows out through the outlet opening 23 of the outlet device 20. As shown in FIG. 4, the filtering members 25 may include different structure or configuration for generating soap bubbles of different shapes or types or the like.

The electric soap dispenser 1 further includes a pumping or operating or actuating device 3 for pumping or forcing or drawing the liquid soap out through the outlet device 20, for example, the actuating device 3 includes a receptacle or container or housing 30 having a bore or space 31 formed therein for receiving or engaging with the mouth 11 of the receptacle 10 and/or the one or first end portion 21 of the outlet device 20 and for attaching or mounting or securing the actuating device 3 to the receptacle 10 and/or the outlet device 20.

For example, the housing 30 includes a cylindrical member or sleeve or barrel 32 formed or provided therein (FIG. 3) for forming or defining the space 31 in the barrel 32 and for receiving or engaging with the mouth 11 of the receptacle 10 and/or the one or first end portion 21 of the outlet device 20, and the housing 30 may preferably include two or more housing members or elements 33, 34 attached or mounted or secured together to form the housing 30 for allowing the housing 30 to be easily and quickly attached or mounted or secured or coupled to the receptacle 10 and/or the outlet device 20.

The actuating device 3 further includes a printed circuit board or processor device or control device 35 attached or mounted or secured to the housing 30 and electrically connected or coupled to one or more batteries or electric power source 36 (FIG. 2) which may supply the electric energy to energize or actuate or operate the control device 35 and the other electric devices or facilities or the like; a first or air motor 37 and a second or fluid motor 38 are disposed or engaged onto the housing 30 and electrically connected or coupled to the control device 35 and/or the electric power source 36.

The human body sensing device 24 is electrically connected or coupled to the control device 35 and/or the electric power source 36 for detecting whether a user or human body is approaching the outlet device 20 or not, and for sending or transmitting the detected signals to the control device 35, and/or to actuate or operate or force the control device 35 to operate or actuate the first or air motor 37 and/or the second or fluid motor 38 to pump the liquid soap out of the receptacle 10.

For example, the first or air motor 37 may be provided for pumping or forcing or feeding or introducing or supplying the air into the receptacle 10, and the second or fluid motor 38 may be provided for pumping or forcing or drawing the liquid soap out of the receptacle 10, and the control device 35 may actuate or operate the motors 37, 38 to pump or force or dispense the liquid soap out of the receptacle 10 when the human body sensing device 24 is sensed or detected that a user or human body is approaching the outlet device 20.

It is to be noted that the typical electric soap dispensers or soap dispensing mechanisms each comprising a single fluid pump or motor provided for pumping or forcing or drawing the liquid soap out of the receptacle, but a vacuum condition and/or a choke condition may be generated within the receptacle, particularly in the outlet device of the receptacle, such that the liquid soap may not be easily and effectively and smoothly pumped or forced or drawn out of the receptacle. The provision of the first or air motor 37 may pump or force or feed or introduce or supply the air into the receptacle 10 and to allow the liquid soap to be easily and effectively and smoothly pumped or forced or drawn out of the receptacle.

As shown in FIG. 3, the electric soap dispenser 1 may further include a tubular member or manifold 40 having a stud or extension 41 engaged into the mouth 11 of the receptacle 10, another stud or extension 42 engaged into the one or first end portion 21 of the outlet device 20, and one or more further studs or extensions 43 secured or coupled to the motors 37, 38, or the motors 37, 38 may be directly engaged into or coupled to the mouth 11 of the receptacle 10 and/or the one or first end portion 21 of the outlet device 20 for suitably supplying the air into the receptacle 10, and/or for suitably pumping or forcing or drawing the liquid soap out of the receptacle 10.

Accordingly, the electric soap dispenser in accordance with the present invention includes an improved structure or configuration for preventing the liquid soap from being choked in a liquid soap receptacle, and for suitably and smoothly and effectively feeding or dispensing or supplying the liquid soap out through the outlet device or faucet of the container or receptacle.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

I claim:
 1. An electric soap dispenser comprising: a receptacle for containing a liquid soap, including an outlet mouth provided therein for allowing the liquid soap to flow out of said receptacle, an outlet device including a first end portion engaged with said mouth of said receptacle for receiving the liquid soap from said receptacle, and a second end portion having an outlet opening formed therein for allowing the liquid soap to flow out of said outlet device, a human body sensing device for detecting whether a human body is approaching said outlet device or not, and an actuating device including: a housing attached to said receptacle, a control device attached to said housing, a first motor electrically connected to said control device for being actuated by said control device to supply an air into said receptacle, and a second motor electrically connected to said control device for being actuated by said control device to pump the liquid soap out of said receptacle.
 2. The electric soap dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first motor is disposed in said housing.
 3. The electric soap dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second motor is disposed in said housing.
 4. The electric soap dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing includes a space formed therein for engaging with said mouth of said receptacle and for attaching said housing to said receptacle.
 5. The electric soap dispenser as claimed in claim 4, wherein said housing includes a barrel having said space formed in said barrel.
 6. The electric soap dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said actuating device includes an electric power source electrically connected to said control device.
 7. The electric soap dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outlet device includes a filtering member engaged with said outlet opening of said outlet device for filtering the liquid soap.
 8. The electric soap dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said human body sensing device is attached to said outlet device.
 9. The electric soap dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said receptacle includes a manifold having a first extension engaged with said mouth of said receptacle, and a second extension engaged with said first end portion of said outlet device, and at least one third extension.
 10. The electric soap dispenser as claimed in claim 9, wherein said at least one third extension is coupled to said first motor.
 11. The electric soap dispenser as claimed in claim 9, wherein said at least one third extension is coupled to said second motor. 